‘It is not true that rural people appreciate subsidy removal’

-A resident of chief Chinyaku’s area in Chipata says the picture being portrayed to people in rural areas that they appreciate the removal of subsidies on fuel and maize is misleading.

Rasford Nkhuwa, 73, of Chiwuye Farms, stated that most people in the country do not understand the benefit of removing the subsidies on fuel and maize which he said mostly affected the vulnerable.

Mr Nkhuwa was speaking in a walk in interview with ZANIS in Chipata today.

He said it was not true that people in rural areas were abreast with government’s decision to remove subsidies on fuel and maize.

Mr Nkhuwa said it was sad that the removal of the subsidies was allegedly done in a hurry without consulting the people especially those in rural areas who he said were the most affected.

Mr Nkhuwa said people gave the mandate to the government expecting that when effecting huge measures that affect the majority, especially the vulnerable, the people would first be consulted.

“The orphans and widows are the most affected when such measures are abruptly implemented,” he said.

He said in the past government engaged Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) to disseminate information to the rural parts of the country when such measures were undertaken to enable them be abreast with what was going on in the country.

Recently, there have been numerous explanations towards the removal of subsidies across the country, with government clearly stating that the move is aimed at directing resources towards the development of infrastructure in the country to benefit mostly the rural populace.